retractable wheels look better on a VIP helicopter. Are they better than skids? that's a debate for another thread.

On the central matter of what he should get i agree that going for another AW product would be better than going for another manufacture just by the fact that the supply lines would be simpler with known procedures and in house maintenance would be easier as techs would be more up to speed on the general designs of the new products.

fats

Skids have their advantages for some roles, but VIPs attending the royal pageant prefer not to land in places where their shoes get dirty. Also, quite tricky and embarrassing when necessary to ground taxi to your parking spot next to the VIP suite.

no high heel VIP's with the wheels then!

but think about all the half emptied Champagne glasses and the extra comfort when contacting mother earth with pneumatic tires hanging on a proper suspension system

... and skids don't roll off into the weeds when the park brake decides to relax and no chocks used!

Skids have only one advantage - easier maintenance. The myth that skids are superior to wheels for off-site landings has been dispelled by the thousands of military helicopters bought and used since soldiers discovered how crappy skids are.
The dsadvantage of skids? Many - have to hover to move, which means they park you in the south 40 when you have to discharge passengers. You can't roll up to the passengers as they wait, without blowing them to kingdom come. You have to get tricky platforms or jacks to perform basic ground handling, and that stuff is only at home base when you need it somewhere else.

I took a Colonel out one time to show him the fibs the skid salesmen had fed him were pure myth (wheels can't land on slopes....") by picking the worst slope I could find and landing him on it - about 13 degrees. He was mighty nervous as we settled onto the slope, and had trouble sitting square in his seat. I asked him if he wanted to get out and walk around, he said it was too steep. I said maybe he should get wheels instead of feet next time, and he laughed all the way home.

Seriously, skids on a VIP helicopter is like screen doors on a submarine, seems like a good idea until you try them.

at least chocks work on wheels - but not on skids :ouch:

http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/532...ml#post8286050